


Admissions

by Stujet9rainshine



Category: Tintin - All Media Types
Genre: Denial of Feelings, Evil Plans, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Truth Serum, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27673868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stujet9rainshine/pseuds/Stujet9rainshine
Summary: "I don't think you could get the truth out of me, Doctor," Tintin said easily."Oh, I'm sure I can," Dr. Uranium smirked as he pulled a vial from his lab coat. He displayed it like a prize and swirled it. The purple liquid sloshed and sparkled.Tintin watched it suspiciously, "going to poison me?""Of course not. I'm a man of science, not a monster!" Dr. Uranium even sounded offended, "it's a truth serum. I'm going to force you to drink it and you'll be compelled to tell the truth. It's a prototype but you seem a good test subject."
Relationships: Archibald Haddock/Tintin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 55
Collections: Quiet Life Bingo Fills





	Admissions

Tintin gasped as the scratchy burlap sack was pulled off of his head. He blinked several times as he adjusted to the light, he even let a small groan as he noticed his head ached a bit. He tried to move his hands but found that he was bound to a chair. He wanted to roll his eyes. How original. That's when he finally looked up and noticed his situation.

He'd gotten himself into a right predicament as he noticed there were four shady looking fellows gathered around him. He recognized the one directly in front of himself as Dr. Uranium. He'd been working on a story about him recently over stolen scientific data. Maybe he'd find something interesting while he was being held captive. 

"Glad to see you're finally awake, Tintin," Dr. Uranium mused darkly. "We've been waiting for you to wake up."

Tintin couldn't help the small grin, "Really? The standing over me and staring hadn't given that away."

Dr. Uranium rolled his eyes, "yes, yes. No reason to be rude."

Tintin lifted one red eyebrow, "ah, yes. The one tied to the chair is the rude one."

Tintin's captors were quiet for a few moments after that comment. 

Then Dr. Uranium shook his head, "nevermind that. You're here for a reason."

Tintin kept the quip on the end of his tongue silent. He needed to listen to what his kidnappers had to say.

Dr. Uranium continued as expected, "we know you're close to Processor Calculus and we know he's been working on the technology to turn corn into oil."

Tintin knew exactly what they were talking about. Professor Calculus had been working on creating biofuels for his missions and machines. He wanted to have less of an environmental impact. Tintin thought it was ingenious, but he still kept his mouth shut.

"And we know that you know of the plans and we're going to make you tell us," Dr. Uranium laughed as he finished his little monologue. Tintin had heard both worse and longer, so he couldn't complain too much.

"I don't think you could get the truth out of me, Doctor," Tintin said easily. 

"Oh, I'm sure I can," Dr. Uranium smirked as he pulled a vial from his lab coat. He displayed it like a prize and swirled it. The purple liquid sloshed and sparkled. 

Tintin watched it suspiciously, "going to poison me?" 

"Of course not. I'm a man of science, not a monster!" Dr. Uranium even sounded offended, "it's a truth serum. I'm going to force you to drink it and you'll be compelled to tell the truth. It's a prototype but you seem a good test subject." 

Tintin frowned, pulling lightly on his restraints again. "How do you know it won't kill me?"

"Well, I suppose if you scream 'I'm dying' it'll still be truthful…" he trailed off. "However, if my calculations are correct - which they are, you should be fine."

Tintin was skeptical but knew they're only one way to find out. Then before he could react one of the grunts reached out and roughly grabbed Tintin's cheeks. He squeezed until the reporter's mouth popped open. The grunt then grabbed the vial and popped it open, the cork flying off somewhere behind Tintin.

Tintin started to struggle and willing his mouth to close, but it wasn't happening. He closed his eyes tightly and leaned back, determined to make this as difficult as he possibly could on the crew.

Then a thick and bitter liquid was sliding down his throat. He tried to spit it out, but they were a step ahead of him as a hand pinched his nose and another covered his mouth. He lost the battle and had to swallow.

Tintin gagged and hacked as all the hands pulled away from him. He felt some drool crawl down his chin and felt annoyed he couldn't wipe it away. "Happy?" He asked drily.

"I will be once the serum kicks in," Dr. Uranium mused as he grabbed a chair and sat down. He was also holding a clipboard and a pen. 

Tintin didn't like feeling like a test subject, despite the fact he clearly was. Hell, it wasn't anything new. Now it just seemed to be a waiting game.

There were several minutes of silence and slowly but surely a fog started to come over his mind. 

Dr. Uranium leaned forward, interest sparkling in his eyes. "How are you feeling, Tintin?"

Tintin blinked, "oh, I'm feeling a bit fuzzy. Feels like I've drank too much cold medicine or maybe bourbon."

Dr. Uranium's smile only grew. "Fascinating, why don't you tell me something you hold as a secret."

Tintin thought briefly about that and then a soft, dopey smile covered his face. Everyone seemed surprised by that reaction. "Captain Haddock doesn't know I'm the one who's been making his extra liquor disappear. It's all hidden in my study."

The lead scientist blinked slowly as he processed what the young reporter had just uttered. It wasn't the direction he had expected this conversation to go. "Ah, yes. The drunkard."

Tintin scoffed and even looked offended, "He's not the drunkard he used to be. He's the founder of the Society of Sober Sailors after all. He just has fits sometimes. We all do," his face softened even further, "I'm very proud of him." 

Dr. Uranium nodded, that hadn't come up in his limited research of the residents of Marlinspike Hall. "Enough about the Captain, what do you know of Professor Calculus' work?"

Tintin's brow furrowed, "he's hard of hearing and refuses to admit it. I'm relieved he finally got that ear horn after all this time. Though he often doesn't use it." He sighed, "I wish he would use his genius to make himself a hearing aide."

Dr. Uranium had to resist the urge to rub at his eyes. "Yes, we all know that the professor is hard of hearing. How could you possibly not be." He took a deep breath, "tell me about his inventions. For example his recent adventures into biofuels?

"Oh!" Tintin grinned, "My favourite invention of his was when he invented the shark-submarine. That was my first major adventure with Captain Haddock. We had gone looking for Red Rackham's treasure and the Unicorn. That's also the reason we live in Marlinspike together. I'm very thankful." He looked extremely happy as he chatted, his head lolling to the side. He would probably have his cheek propped up on his hand if he was able.

Dr. Uranium took a few notes. He hadn't anticipated this outcome with the serum. It seemed that it was causing something closer to compulsions than the need to answer all questions truthfully. Though he wasn't going to give up that easily. Maybe he needed to be more specific. "Nothing about his biofuels? I'd love to learn more about them."

"I didn't learn too much about them myself. It's only a recent project of his," Tintin finally answered, completely truthfully. 

Dr. Uranium felt his glasses slip down his nose at the realization. Tintin didn't know about the fuel, a surprise considering his well-known attention to detail. "You do not know anything about the biofuel?"

"Besides the fact that Professor Calculus is planning using algae and corn as the materials, no not really," Tintin mused easily. 

Regardless, Dr. Uranium wrote that down and decided to count his losses on learning about the biofuel and decided he should use the test of the time to learn about the effects of serum. He leaned forward, determined to see just how potent the serum was. "Now, Tintin. Would you please tell me your deepest and most closely held secret?" 

Tintin felt his eyes widen. He didn't want to share that information but that feeling faded almost instantly as he softened back up into happy putty. "I'm… I'm in love with Captain Haddock," The words echoed around the space. 

Several pairs of eyebrows raised at the admittance. No one had expected that. Dr. Uranium almost felt bad at pulling such a secret from the young man's heart. A dangerous secret at that. 

Tintin's bright blue eyes were shining, from happiness or tears. No one could tell. "I love him more than anything in this world. He makes me smile and my heart flutter in my chest. I love him so much and yet I can never say a word to him about it, it's a hard truth to keep." His whole body sagged after the words ran out. He'd never said the words aloud and even though he knew deep down that it wasn't willing, it made the truth easier to bear somehow.

There was a heavy silence that followed the admission. No one in the room knew how to proceed. 

Tintin felt the compulsion to share more. "I wish I could tell him. I wish there was a place in this world that I would allow me to, but alas, I cannot."

Dr. Uranium finally gathered his senses and shook his head. "How long have you harboured these feelings?" The scientist suddenly felt a bit like a therapist. 

"Almost the entire time I've known him," Tintin had a fire in his eyes as those words left him. "He made it very easy to fall for him, despite what others might say about him." 

"For example?" Dr. Uranium prompted.

"Have you ever seen him smile?" Tintin challenged.

"I have not, he seems the kind to frown most times."

"You'd be correct there," Tintin nodded, "but that's a part of what makes his smile so special. It's a rare but lovely thing, though how he cares for me and how he would and has followed me to the ends of the earth. He would and unfortunately has tried to die for me… more than once and I've tried to do the same, I must admit."

Dr. Uranium wanted to look away from the fiery look and then averted his gaze and looked down at his watch. The effects of the serum should be running out at any time now. "I've read in fairy tales, as much worth as they hold, mention the purest kind of love is the willingness to die for someone." Then he stood up and waited for the effects to fade. No longer willing to ask these questions out of Tintin. He wasn't the one who had deserved to hear such a speech.

Tintin nodded and opened his mouth as if to speak and then the slight fog over his eyes faded. Then his mouth snapped shut with an audible click. His bottom lip shook as he seemed to realize everything that had just transpired was real. A few tears spilled down his pale freckled cheeks. His face suddenly looked much older and the entire weight of the world crashed back onto his shoulders. And in a way it had. 

Dr. Uranium walked up to the reporter and put a hand on his shoulder. "I think you should tell him, no matter matter what the world has to say about it. If anyone could find a way it would be you, Tintin." Then the scientist pulled his arm back and left the young man with his turbulent thoughts.

**Author's Note:**

> This was actually supposed to be a funny fic...


End file.
